VIDEO: Which Panerai Submersible is right for you?
At its heart, Panerai is about diving. The brand was born under the waves and continues to call the underwater world home. Which is why we found ourselves, several weeks ago, watching — slightly nervously — as a brace of Panerai Submersibles dipped into a giant tank full of rays, sharks and other (less threatening) fish at the Melbourne Aquarium. Thankfully, the watches were attached to the wrists of professional divers, who put them through their paces, leaving us in the position to debate the various merits of three stars in the Submersible line-up: the Submersible Carbotech, the Submersible in 42mm stainless steel, and the Submersible BMG-Tech. And while these three watches are all rock-solid, purpose-built dive watches, they also show off Panerai’s expertise when it comes to materials science. The Carbotech, named for the carbon composite it’s made from, is aggressive-looking, light-weight and downright cool. The 42mm steel model is classic in its construction and design. Finally, the BMG-Tech offers a bit of both: traditional Panerai styling with decidedly non-traditional material science in the form of the amorphous alloy case. For all that the superficial look is the same, these three watches are decidedly different.
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When it comes to materials, it’s hard to beat Rado. The brand is a master of innovative materials. They pioneered ultra hard metals and ceramics, and continue to push the realms of the possible. The latest is Ceramos, an alloy of ceramic and metal that offers the best of both worlds — the lightness and scratch-resistance of ceramic, paired with the finish and lustre of metal. Here they’ve chosen to deploy Ceramos on the relatively conservative DiaMaster Thinline, a classic two-hander with a date. So, if you like your tradition with a healthy dose of technical, check out the Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos. Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Thinline Ceramos, $3025.
Hublot has built its brand on the twin pillars of big and bold — I mean, they don’t call it a Big Bang for nothing. This year the brand changed tack with the announcement of a scaled-down Big Bang, clocking in at a much more wrist-friendly 42mm. Just quietly, I think this is an awesome development: 42mm means that the watch will comfortably fit more wrists than ever before, while still offering maximalist impact. And it’s just the beginning, with fairly core models being offered in this smaller diameter, but I suspect that will change soon … So, if you’ve never tried on a Hublot for fear of it overwhelming your wrist, I’d strongly suggest trying the 42mm Big Bang on for size. Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm Australian pricing Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Chronograph 42mm, $22,100.
Rado’s DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a great contender for a go-to daily wearer, as it offers a pretty good taste of both worlds. The style is restrained without being boring — there are heritage touches there, like the leaf-shaped hands and small seconds, but it’s also pleasingly up to date in terms of fine design details and current colour palettes. Where Rado really stands out, though, is with the strength of the case. And here I mean that literally, as the case is ceramic, and pretty much scratch-proof. The movement, as with most of Rado’s modern movements, is solid, too, with a silicon spiral and 80 hours of power reserve. All told, the DiaMaster Petite Seconde is a solid-looking and performing piece that offers very solid value. Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde Australian pricing Rado DiaMaster Petite Seconde, $3450
We’ve spent a bit of time this week going back and forth over the finer points of Seiko’s latest Executive Sports Astrons, from the blingy SSE170J to the tennis-y SSE174J. Today, we’re having a look at another member of the family, which is, I have to say, my pick of the bunch: the blue-detailed SSE167J. Not only am I a sucker for a blue dial, but, for me, that glossy, three-dimensional ceramic bezel is a winner. Having said that, the surprise hit for me was that small mother-of-pearl second time zone display. Mother-of-pearl (or MOP to its friends) is a material typically found on more female-focused watches, but I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work a treat on this space-age Seiko. Watch the video and you’ll see what I mean. Seiko Astron Executive Sports SSE167J Australian pricing Seiko Astron SSE167J, $4200
Watches — the best watches at least — do more than tell the time. They transcend their function to evoke an atmosphere or a mood. Tissot’s latest heritage piece, the Petite Seconde, is a quite wonderful example of this. Sure, it’s a 42mm steel piece with a classic manually winding movement, and a pretty classic dial. But it’s actually a lot more than that. It’s like a warm, shining pebble on the wrist, a watch full of gentle curves and pleasing details. Like the daily winding of the movement, or that dial, it’s got a soft, almost satiny brushed finish and some truly lovely printed Arabic numerals. In short, it’s everything you want from a heritage-inspired piece, and a great value proposition. TLDR; it’s a really nice watch. Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde Australian pricing Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde, $1425. The Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde is available to purchase from the Time+Tide shop.
The Tradition is a very special watch in Breguet’s prestigious collection. The brand is renowned for their classic style and peerless heritage. The Tradition collection — which debuted in 2005 — epitomises these values while managing to look effortlessly modern. It’s quite a feat. The traditional elements are easy to define — the engine-turned dial, the fluted case, the Breguet hands, that winding rotor. All details that speak directly to Breguet’s past. What makes the watch feel so modern is a little harder to define. There’s a few obvious tells, like the larger size and the use of silicon. And then there’s the harder to define bits, like the unconventional dial side movement and the modern looking (yet actually quite old school) peened finish on the bridges. Really though, it’s one of those whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts situations. Perhaps then, Breguet’s Tradition is like the best traditions — rooted in the past, yet flexible enough to move with modern times. Breguet Tradition 7097 and Breguet Tradition Dame Australian pricing Breguet Tradition 7097 in red gold, $42,000, Tradition Dame in red gold, $49,000 
Watches inspired by military designs are a perennial favourite. Largely, that’s down to the fact that these watches generally possess an overarching purpose. These watches have been designed, first and foremost, as functional objects. The Longines Heritage Military, for example, is a no-frills whistle that tells the time, and tells it quickly, clearly and simply. Of course, that purity of purpose typically flows down to a purity of design, and the Heritage Military — with its clear railroad minute track and simple Arabic numerals, its large, easy to manipulate crown and decorative-yet-functional hands — is exemplary. However, that’s not to say that Longines hasn’t added some contemporary design flourish to their historically inspired piece. Look at the dial. It’s a near-perfect facsimile of a decades-old dial that bears the signs and the patina of a life well lived. However, this dial is brand new. It’s also unique. As a result of the production process, each pattern of flecks and marks on the dial is individual to the watch, which is pretty cool. Longines Heritage Military Australian pricing Longines Heritage Military, $2775